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I only had g.m. once - didn't like it. A friend of mine is from the Mid-East (Egypt) and uses it often. That's where I remember it from, because liking to cook, I asked him and we talked about it. I know my friend bathes (he's a Physician) but the strength of the scent is akin to someone having a garlic pepperoni pizza (strengthwise - although different aroma). I'm told those stronger spices work through the entire body. As the old saying goes - "you are what you eat" - or at least, you'll smell like it.

One of the seasonings used in curries is asafoetida, which is very stinky. And they use a lot of onion and garlic. I think they blend the spices individually

Personally, I hate bland food, but then, I am Cajun, so love garlic, onion, peppers, and many other seasonings.

Yeah, I remember it now from our store. Believe me, there are things that smell far worse (i.e. asafetida). Ironically, though asafetida or hing will knock you over even when sealed in a package, it doesn't have that effect when small amounts are used in food.

As its name suggests, asafetida has a fetid smell and a nauseating taste; characteristics that also burdened it with the name devil's dung. In the Middle Ages, a small piece of the gum was worn around the neck to ward off disease. Whatever effectiveness it had was probably due to the antisocial properties of the amulet rather than any medicinal virtue.

Surprisingly, in Persia asafetida was used as a condiment and called the "food of the gods".

This herb is the major component in the famous Ayurvedic herbal formula Hingashtak, Sanskrit name is hing